Face guard for sewing machine operators



J n- 4, 1944- J. F. IMBERMAN 2,338,331

FACE GUARD FOR SEWING MACHINE OPERATORS Filed April 7, 1943 Patented Jan. 4, 1944 FACE GUARD FOR SEWING MACHINE OPERATORS Jonas FJmberman, Los Angeles, Calif. Application April '1, 194 Serial N6. 482,197

'2 Claims." (01. 112-261) This invention relates to a guard for safely protecting the face of the operator from beinginjured by broken needles.

In operating sewing machines, 1 especially wherein the operation of bar tacking, sewing on buttons and snaps is concerned, it is not infrequent that, due to the heat generated in the needle through fast stitching operations, the temper of the needle is reduced causing the point to bend and consequently the needle to break, sometimes into several pieces above the detempered areas and strike the operator in the face. Sometimes this defect resides in the improper spacing apart of the perforations in the buttons or in the button clamp springs which become worn and then permit the buttons to move relatively to said clamp spring causing the needles to strike the buttons and break. Furthermore, fear of being injured by fragments of broken needles thrown from the machine, heretofore set up in the mind of the operator, has reduced emciency and, owing to the numerous casualties to be insured against, a high rate of insurance has been required.

It is among the major objects of this invention to provide for the elimination of such accidents, lower costs of present high insurance rates, and foster in the mind of the operator freedom from fear of injury, thereby increasing the efficiency of the operator and augmenting the output produced thereby. A

It is also among the objects of the invention to provide, as a new article of manufacture, a superior combined hanger and transparent guard plate adjustably mountable upon a standard make of sewing machine to protect the face and'n'eck, and more particularly the eyes of the operator against being injured by fragments of broken needles thrown from the machine.

The invention provides a one-piece hangerfor supporting the transparent guard plate, thereby simplifying structures known to the prior art.

Other objects, advantages and features of invention will hereinafter appear.

Referring to the drawing, Which illustrates what is at present deemed to be a preferred emin shown are the vertical hanger strip 2 consisting of a rigidsheet material and furnished at its lower end with a broadened footportion 3 having a downwardly-inclined body portion 4 which is bifurcated so as to provide the two spaced apart side arms 5. To the lower face of this bifurcated member is shown secured, by means of screws 6, the transparent guards plate 1. However, it is optional whether said guard plate is secured to the bifurcated member in an underlying or an overlying relation, either positioning thereof com .ing within the scope of the claimed invention.

' In the illustrated embodiment of the invention said guard plate is made of a transparent material, for example some plastic substance, and the screw holes therethrough to be threaded to have the screws screwed into them. If a glass guard plate is used some other conventional attaching means will be provided therefor. In either case a shatter-proof transparent material should be used.

As viewed in the drawing the upper part of the mounted hanger strip 2 is widened by providing it with a leftward extension 8 thus affording room for cutting downwardly into the upper end of the strip a slot 9 which is in substantial alinement with the left edge of the body portion of said strip 2. It is deemed best to make the slot 9 open at its upper end, as otherwise the screw I0, shown extending therethrough would have to be completely unscrewed before its threaded portion could be passed through the slot. Said screw is the conventional screw whereby the usual face bodiment of the invention, said drawing is a per- I plate is attached to the underlying portion of the sewing machine head 12, said screw in order to a guide arm 15 to the outer part of which is fixed,

andfrom which rearwardly projects a stud it which enters a hole Ila through the face plate ll. Said hole is vertically elongated and hence permits the desired amount of vertical adjustment of the attachment l, but the stud has a working fit in relation to the width of the hole and therefore stabilizes the attachment against lateral displacement.

The guide arm I5 is shown bent at 20 in order to contour it to the arcuate part of the conventional face plate shown, and the terminal part of said arm is rebent to extend laterally in a fiatwise contact with the flat wing portion 2| of the face plate ll, the flat forward surface of said face plate and the face of said wing thereof being laterally spaced apart horizontally and united by means of the arcuate part of the face plate to which conforms the bent part of the arm 15. Also, when the device is in its mounted position the entire straight portion of the strip 2 has a direct flatwise contact with the outer surface of the face plate 11, the flatwise contacts which have been described contributing to the secure, satisfactory manner in which the whole device is kept immovable in its mounted position by. the,

screwed down clamping screw Ill. As a further advantageous result, no objectionable ope space through which needle fragments might pass is produced between the front surface of the face plate i"! and the lower part of the mounted plate I to prevent broken needle fragments from being thrown toward the operator's face.

In the drawing is shown the conventional clamp spring which holds buttons and. other articles in place while being sewed on and automatically moves them about as required tobring their apertures into the path of the needle during this operation. is shown, it being understood that said needle is carried in the usual manner by the needle holding rod 2! a portion of which projects upwardly beyond the face plate ll. The feed plate 28 rests upon the throat plate 28a which, in turn rests upon the bed 28 of the machine.

As the transparent guard plate 1 is at all times located only a short distance above the articles which are being sewed on, the amount of. vertical adjustment of which the device is capable, though not extensive, is amply suflicient to vary the. position of said transparent plate to the .extent required to accommodate its position to the eyes of different operators who, owing to differ.- ences in stature, vary somewhat as to height above the work.

,What is claimed is:

1. Adeviceof thekind described comprising an article of manufactureconsistingof a strip of substantially rigid sheet material carrying, at

one end a transparentguard plate and having a longitudinally extending slot in,,its;0pp0site, end

' portion to receive the stem of a screw, for clamping the device to the face plate of a sewing ma: chine in a vertically adjustable, manner, said strip having, a stabilizing arm which projects from one of its sides andwhich carriesa, stud insertableinto a recess or hole in the faceplate Also the point portion of a needle.

of a sewing machine to stabilize the attached device.

2. The subject matter of claim 1 and, said guard plate extending obliquely downward and forward when said strip is in its upstanding mounted position.

3. The subject matter of claim 1, and said slot having an open upper end the width of said slot being less than the diameter of the head of the attaching screw.

4. The combination, with the upstanding face plate of a sewing machine; of a hanger strip having through it a vertical slot with an open upper end, a screw passing through said slot and clamping said strip to said face plate in a vertically adjustable manner, and a transparent needle guard plate carried by the lower portion of said strip, saidguard plate extending obliquely downward and forward when said strip is in its upstanding mounted position.

5. The combination, with the attached upstanding face plate of a sewing machine, said face plate having a flat front face portion, a backwardly spaced flat face portion, and an arcuate portion joining said two face portions; of a hanger including a strip of substantially straight fiat rigid sheet material, means whereby said strip is secured to said face plate in a vertically adjustable manner and in an upstanding position wherein the strip engages said front face portion of said face plate with a flatwise contact, said strip having a laterally extending stabilizing arm which is contoured to fit over the aforesaid arcuate portion of said face plate, said arm having a terminal fiat portion which contacts in a flatwise manner with the aforesaid backwardly spaced fiat portion of said face plate, anda stabilizing connection between said last recited part of said face plate.

6. The subject matter of claim 5 and, said stabilizing connection consisting of a stud carried by said arm and projecting into a recess in said face plate.

7 .The combination, with the upstanding face plate of a sewing machine; of a hanger strip having through it a vertical slot, and a screw passing through said slot and securing said hanger strip to said face plate in an overlying vertically adjustable manner, a transparent guard plate carried by the lower portion of said hanger strip,

wise manner and which forms an auxiliaryguard which cooperates with the transparent plate to prevent fragments of broken needles from being thrown toward the face of the operator.

JONAS r. IMBERMAN. 

